Two disused buildings in Glasgow have been brought back to life as the City Council makes its final preparations to open them as new nurseries.
The local authority will lease the former Roystonhill Recreation Centre on Forrestfield Street, also known as the Blue Roof, to Rosemount Lifelong Learning for 10 years to help meet the Scottish Government’s target of 1140 hours of free childcare per year.
They will also rent what was once a derelict old building at 60 Vicarfield Street in Govan to an organisation called Oganon who plan to open a Gaelic nursery.
Both buildings in Roystonhill and Govan will be leased for a decade at a 50% charitable discount. The tenants will pay an annual sum of £11,250 and £22,500 respectively. The proposals were brought before the contracts and property committee last week.
Council officer David McEwan explained how they would help enable the Government’s expansion of the early year statutory childcare provision to 1140 hours a year which is set to begin this month.
He explained: “The facility in Roystonhill was a former community centre which has now been completely reconfigured into a care inspectorate registered early learning centre.
“Rosemount Lifelong Learning are the organisation who will provide the childcare service. Given their charitable status they also qualify for a 50% discount or flexible rental. They will pay £11,250 but the value of the property is double that.”
Members agreed to the terms of the proposal before discussing the childcare facility which will open in Govan which is also eligible for a discount in rent.
Mr McEwan added: “There is an identical paper with a different property. This time it was a former derelict property in Govan which was acquired by education services.
“Following the renovations, it will now be used as a Gaelic nursery.”
